I've been wanting to see it for a LONGGGGGGGGGGGG time.

Le Doulos The Finger Man - (Jean-Pierre Melville;1962;France/Italy)
A man released from prison kills a connection with jewelry loot, and soon attempts another heist, not knowing his friend is an informer.
I love the opening tracking shot through the walkway with the wonderful music. This whole film has a noir feel to it that makes it poignant. Consider the first murder of the film, unexpected with the body suddenly knocking the light, which sways back and forth with blackness and light. Serge Reggiani isn't as piercing as Alain Delon or other Melville characters, but he still supports the film very well. A great crime film about two-timers, with a perfect ending.

Samurai III: Duel on Ganryu Island ***

A great ending to a very enjoyable trilogy. After watching this I became more of a fan of Toshirô Mifune's work. I can't wait to buy the DVDs now

The Constant Gardner**
Nice film on drug trials and corrupt global pharmaceutical companies using Africa as a labaratory. But the movie is also about the love story of a couple, a british diplomat and his wife, who get involved in uncovering some of the truths that no one wants them to. Unlike Erin Bronkovich, this movie does not end happily. It also has well developed side plots. The movie has been shot in actual locations in africa and look authentic.

The Squid and the Whale ***

A very interesting and at times, funny story about a divorcing couple set in the 1980s in New York City. Laura Linney is enjoyable as always and I really enjoyed Jeff Daniels performance as well. The children (Jesse Eisenberg & Owen Kline) do well in there roles as well, especially young Owen Kline.

Lav, I finally watched Brokeback Mountain. You certainly don't want to hear all that I've to say and probably I'm going to get stoned and be labeled homophobic for saying this, which, I'm not. I really think this was a let down and I'm not sure how the adapted screenplay and the director, got nominations for this movie, let alone won Oscars on both counts.

I really think Academy was scared to be labeled homophobic, otherwise, this picture failed to build an understanding as to how even two rough cowboys may fall in love with each other. Unless you really need a movie to promote your ideas, I don't see how this could change homophobic minds, when it failed to impress one in favor of homosexual marriage. It stirred up no emotions for me, maybe a little for Alma, who was at least brilliantly portrayed.


I also watched Good Night, and Good Luck and I'm glad to say at least this movie lived up to my expectations.

well, Afi, I'm sorry we do not agree but everyone is entitled to their own opinions and of course I respect yours. I'm not going into a discussion again. It's most comforting for me to see I'm definitely not alone in considering this movie a masterpiece. Take a look here .

If so many people all over the world needed to say "Thank you" to this movie there must be a reason. Jake Gyllenhall's blue eyes, stunning as they are, are not enough.

You are definitely not alone. Among those who think love is a feeling above all limitations, I think, I'm the one who is alone on this. But the truth is, this movie didn't add anything to the short story which was based on, while it had more to play with in its new medium. Two cowboys falling in love in an atmosphere that denies this relationship is brilliant, while movie didn't add anything to give it any depth.

Shark Tale

Goodfellas meets Finding Nemo. Or, if you like, the Codfather. Sadly it doesn't offer anything more than a few wiseguy film references. Sure it's watchable and even enjoyable, kids will love it, but it doesn't have as much adult appeal as other pixelated films. Which is a shame when it boasts such a star studded cast satiricly reprising their type cast roles as wiseguys.

I really liked the one line by Vincent Pastore's character...

"You'll be sleepin with the fishes...


... the dead ones that is."

Really the only high point of the movie.

Year of the Horse - (Jim Jarmusch;1997;USA)
Neil Young and Crazy Horse play their 1996 tour with clips from old interviews/footage and new ones by Jarmusch.
Judging by the negative reaction to this, I have to say it's pretty underrated. I was glued to this the entire time, and at the end, I wanted more. The interviews aren't the most informative ever, but you'll enjoy them if you enjoy the band and Neil Young. Rather then making you feel like you're being educated, the film makes you feel like you're with them, hanging out backstage. The music is haunting, especially the last performance before the credits, and Jarmusch's off-beat direction amplifies that haunting mood further. Some may not like the 8mm footage, though I don't have a problem with it. It was also interesting seeing Young's father interviewed.

Throne of Blood ***

The Japanese version of MacBeth and as usual Mifune and Kurosawa bring their A game. Very enjoyable and even creepy at parts.

I should be going for this soon. I have a taste for samurai films now like I do for westerns, though I'm not sure if Throne of Blood is a samurai film.

Night On Earth - (Jim Jarmusch;1991;France/UK/Germany/USA/Japan)
Five stories during one specific time in one night involving taxi drivers talking with their fares in L.A., New York, Paris, Rome, and Helsinki.
Another very good film from Jarmusch that again demonstrates his extreme talent for dialogue. Each story is about the interaction between the characters above all, and each has their charm. Tom Waits' music sets the mood immediately as well. The cast is also top notch. Ryder, Rowlands, Mueller-Stahl, Esposito, De Bankolé, Dalle, Benigni, Bonacelli, and Pellonpää were all great in their roles. This is the type of film that immerses you into it through it's dialogue.

This Gun for Hire - (Frank Tuttle;1942;USA)
A hitman with a soft side for cats and children goes to L.A. to kill his employers who paid him with hot money.
Not only is this an influential film but this also manages to be an excellent character study for it's time. It's not as structured as Le Samourai, but it's still an excellent film for it's own reasons. It was made at a time when psychological character development wasn't very prominent, and Alan Ladd proves to have a powerful presence, as well as Veronica Lake. Fans of Le Samourai should see this. Almost better then Double Indemnity. Oddly enough, a few moments reminded me of North By Northwest.

I should be going for this soon. I have a taste for samurai films now like I do for westerns, though I'm not sure if Throne of Blood is a samurai film. [/b][/quote]It's not. I've got a taste for the samurai genre too (as you can probably tell by now). This is my Kurosawa phase that I'm going through

CAPE FEAR (1991) - ***

Review upcoming for AndersonVision, but suffice to say, its a good thriller, almost a lost "horror" film from Scorsese's career. More detail to follow in the review.

Fight Club ***
Nice movie dealing with the theme of Insomnia, which I am getting tired of. But this movie is not as cryptic as the other movies I have watched on this topic, though there is a nice twist at the end.

Watching Brokeback Mountain and feeling absolutely nothing, made me think there must be something wrong with me in emotional department.

Then I watched Cinderella Man and now I'm quite sure a movie can still stir up emotions in me. I think at least just like Seabiscuit this deserved 7 Oscars nominations.

Capote ***

A slow-paced movie about Truman Capote's work on his book In Cold Blood. A great performance by Mr. Philip Seymour Hoffman. I think the Best Actor award could have gone either way between him and Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain. A better movie than I expected.

License to Kill **

Some other well known celebs who are James Bond alums including a young Benicio Del Toro, Wayne Newton, Robert Davi, Talisa Soto and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. This movie started off well but blew its load about 30 minutes into it. Timothy Dalton I think made a better Bond than George Lazenby.

ULTRAVIOLET (2006) - **1/2

Kurt Wimmer(writer/director of EQUILIBRIUM) basically brings us Americans a life-action 80 minute anime TV/movie program, where the thin story itself serves the purpose of the visuals and action.....thing is, Wimmer perhaps succeeded TOO well, for despite easily another hat thrown in the computer-assisted cinematic beauty contest that SIN CITY threw down last year....the story is shit.

If you go see it, let your eyes love the images.....for your other senses will feel bored.

I just watched this.Unlike the usual romantic comedies, it doesn't end happily. Though this is probably more realistic, somewhere in my mind, I was hoping for them to unite. Maybe it was the effect of 'Notting Hill' I watched last week, which has put me into a major 'mush' mode. I like the lighting used throughout the movie, gloomy hotel interiors, dark environment of bar, the rainy day and the spiritual atmosphere of the temple. I thought that Bill Murray was a little too indifferent in the beginning to like him. But Scarlet Johanson really steals the show.

Funny saying this but even me the self appointed bubblegum/popcorn movie champion felt board watching this movie.
The story was thin, like anorexicly. In fact I've seen this twice and during the second screening I actually fell asleep. Milla's acting is all over the place in this, her tone changes from scene to scene - the biggest one for me was on the roof when the kid is standing on the rail, just her manor of speech and everything just brings me crashing into reality (destroying my suspension of disbelief).
The fight scenes are cool, I give him that Kurt can do one hell of an action scene.
The look of the movie is...well it looks like Liquid! Graphics did the color for the film. It opens up with pictures of comic book covers and so that really ties into the look.
The best thing about this movie is William Fichtner, he is the only person in the film that did work that I would call a “performance”, I came out of my second screening of this movie with only one thought (well two I mean the movie pretty much just features Milla’s bare midsection) Fichtner is the freaking man…man. I’ve seen him in all kinds of stuff and I can’t wait to see him in more.

I give you Ultraviolet a D, and mostly that is because I love Equilibrium so much.

Funny saying this but even me the self appointed bubblegum/popcorn movie champion felt board watching this movie. In fact I've seen this twice and during the second screening I actually fell asleep. [/b][/quote]That's why I'm glad I didn't pay to see it :p

GoldenEye ****

Only the 2nd Bond I'm willing to give 4 stars, the first of which was 31 years earlier with Goldfinger. I forgot this was Joe Don Baker's 2nd James Bond film, his first being The Living Daylights (1987). This was also the movie that introduced Famke Janssen to the world (and I'm not alone in saying thank you for that). Finally, is there a better villian around than Sean Bean? One of my personal favorites, if not THE best Bond villian, but that's up for debate. What a great way to give the series the proverbial "kick in the a$$" that it needed!

Insomnia - (Christopher Nolan;2002;USA)
An L.A. cop must cope with the guilt of killing his partner as well as insomnia while solving a murder in northern Alaska, while the sun never sets.
Overall, this is a very good crime drama. Pacino is great, despite some people disliking the role for being a "weak" character of sorts. Nolan's direction is the main highlight, especially in showing the main character's insomnia. Julyan's score, like Memento is wonderful and adds to the dreary feeling of the film.

I plan on watching the 1997 film soon.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984) - ***** - Masterpiece!

Sergio Leone's last grand hoorah, and arguably the best movie of the 1980s. Almost 4 hours in total running time(that is, the Director's Cut), this is an ambitious epic for which Leone studies, as he put it, "a reality where myth and reality are intertwined, where the myth lives". Superb work from DeNiro and James Woods, along with Morricone again scoring great music.

Was that your first time seeing it RRA?

Jarhead - (Sam Mendes;2005;USA)
A 20 year old man joins the Marines, only to find the boredom of war is mentally and physically exhausting.
A great war film wonderfully directed by Mendes. The music, cinematography, and acting is all top form. It does feel longer then it is at times, but it still remains intriguing to the end. It's also very off-beat from the genre, dealing with boredom rather then the normal aspects of war films. Gyllenhaal, Foxx, and Sarsgaard were especially memorable acting-wise.